Page 26 of Exquisite Monster (Dragons of Viria #2)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

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KATALENA

“ I don’t like this,” Mesene said softly. “I don’t like that any of you will be in there.”

There was only so much we could do to make ourselves presentable for the court. We weren’t overly concerned, but people accepted news better when you didn’t look like you just came through a sandstorm.

Sotai had disguised themselves and ventured into the city to steal some clothing that looked like it might belong.

I currently sat in front of Belleo, allowing her to braid my hair and pin it up in a low knot.

Our goal was for no one to touch any of us, but if our plan failed, I wasn’t going to make it easy for someone to grab me.

Karadi had disguised the vibrant sapphire color of his hair with a tight cap Sotai had provided, and Belleo’s pale blonde hair would raise no suspicions.

“We’ll be fine,” Belleo said. “It makes sense. We don’t want anyone shattering the walls with their shift.”

Of all the dragons with us, Belleo’s beast form was the smallest. No one would believe us without showing an actual dragon.

She was the only one who could still fit through the doors in that form.

Once she shifted, she couldn’t shift back.

I wasn’t going to let Belleo expose herself in front of a hostile court.

Ravi ran a hand through Mesene’s hair. She leaned into his touch. That simple action made my chest ache with longing. Mesene saw my face and sighed. “I just?—”

I held out a hand to her, and she took it. Idroal had led the discussion solidifying the plan while I breathed through Sirrus’s nausea and pain.

Karadi and Belleo would accompany me to create the chaos in the throne room, giving everyone else time to cause the external distraction and get Endre, Sirrus, and Zovai free from where they were being held.

“I’m not asking anyone to come with me,” I said. “I don’t want anyone in danger because of me.”

Belleo poked me in the back before returning to my hair. “We’ve been over this. Hush. We are going with you. You’re not walking into the same room with the man who tried to kill you unprotected.”

I winced, and Mesene smiled as she squeezed my hand. “We must do this, Your Highness. I have no regrets about choosing to help. But I will breathe easier when it is over. ”

“We all will,” Erryn said.

If Idroal could get close enough to speak to my mates and tell them their command was lifted, they might be able to help us. If not, Erryn would land with Mesene and use her power to sense them. Mesene would light the way, since we were moving after darkness fell.

After that…

We were praying to the Fallen that everything went right. Everything had a chance to go wrong, but with every disadvantage stacked against us, speed and surprise were our only tools. The longer we planned, the more likely we would be discovered.

Belleo tucked the last of my hair into the knot. “There. Done.”

“Thank you.” I pulled my bag closer and looked over toward the fire. “ Varí ?”

He flew over, his scales a shimmering white that reminded me of Endre’s true color. “Will you get me the niodaes ? Carefully?”

His tail wiggled back and forth like he was ready to pounce, and he dove into the depths of the bag before coming back with a sealed bottle.

I took it away from the others and uncorked it before retrieving a single dart and dipping it into the liquid as far as I could without touching it, and laid it on the ground.

“ Niodaes ?” Mesene asked. “The poison?”

“Yes. Be careful. When it dries it can be touched.”

“I’d heard of it, but I do not know the mixture.”

I laughed under my breath. “Gleym has more texts than you would expect for someone hidden below the surface of the earth. Isn’t that right, Idroal?”

They raised an eyebrow. “How would I know?”

“No reason.” I shrugged. “It just occurred to me that with your gift and the proximity to the sheyten , you might have spoken before now.”

Their mouth quirked, but they said nothing, and didn’t reprimand me for teasing them or pressing for more information.

Mesene sat nearby, carefully leaning forward and inhaling over the dart. “I don’t believe it’s lost knowledge, but the library in Skalisméra does not have it. Is it something you can share?”

“I don’t see why not. Gleym didn’t say otherwise, and she refused to teach me the one thing she did not want passed on. Plus, it would be wise for someone who is not mortal to know it.”

All the heads turned toward me save Idroal’s.

Sotai frowned. “Your bond. You’re not…?”

“I am not immortal.”

“But—”

“This is not something I can talk about right now,” I snapped. Then I closed my eyes. “I am sorry. This is already hard enough. I can’t think about it.”

Sotai bowed their head in acknowledgement.

Three more darts dipped in the poison was enough. The dress Sotai stole had no pockets, so I tucked my darts—both poisoned and not—into the sleeves.

Shadows fell over the valley, the temperature dropping almost immediately as the light and heat disappeared. Karadi jumped down from a ledge above, landing lightly on his feet. “Everyone ready?”

“As I can be.”

Idroal gestured us closer to the fire, where they’d drawn a layout of Caelora from above, using the dust on the ground.

We weren’t fully going into the city. The main palace was on the outskirts near the walls, with people passing through the outer palace itself to enter the city.

The place where the Heirs were being held was outside the city walls, circled with walls of its own.

“One more time,” Idroal said. “One more time and a prayer. Then we will be ready.” They looked up. “Erryn. Begin.”

Varí curled up on my shoulder, taking one last cuddle before they would remain with Idroal. And we listened. We were ready.